Our Pastoral Care

At Chessbrook we are committed to ensuring the wellbeing of every student within our school community where students feel safe, valued and are able to thrive both academically and socially. We take wellbeing and mental health across our community very seriously. We feel it is important to promote positive wellbeing at any given opportunity.

The Five ways to wellbeing are simple things that we can all do to improve our emotional health and wellbeing: 

Keep learning: Try something new. Try a new hobby, or learn about something just because it interests you.

Connect: Spend time with family and friends.  Enjoy doing things together and talking to each other.

Take notice: Take a break to see how you feel. Relax and look around you or listen to music, take a few deep breaths.

Give: Do something for a friend or relation/adult, as well as making them feel good, it can make you feel good too!   

Be active:  It keeps you physically healthy, and makes you feel good

What we do

An extensive range of support is offered to ensure that students enjoy a positive school experience. This support includes:

• Specialised Safeguarding team to oversee student welfare
• PLM (Personal Learning Mentor) that oversees the individual needs and general wellbeing of students, along with providing support for their social, emotional and behavioural needs
• Targeted therapeutic classroom support and interventions to maximise student learning and progress 
• A dedicated Centre and team of theraputic specialised staff, including school counselors
• Outstanding relationships with parents/care

In June 2021 Chessbrook gained the  Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health kitemark accreditation Healthy Young Minds 

Intent
In an ever-changing world, positive mental health is key to everyone’s well being and quality of life. We believe that every member of the Chessbrook community needs to be happy to thrive, have belief in themselves and are able to achieve.

We support students with a range of experiences that they may face. We aim to reduce the stigma attached to mental health well-being by engendering an ethos supported by our whole school therapeutic approach. This encourages openness whereby students can seek support at school, at home or online as they gain knowledge about how to promote good health and well-being for themselves.

Implementation
Each student is supported and guided by a Personalised Learning Mentor (PLM) who forges a strong relationship with the student and family members. The PLM is critical in establishing communication between school and home and will make weekly contact updates on their progress and any issues that may arise. The PLM is key in helping the student develop new and more helpful ways of thinking, behaving and building positive relationships. 

We promote topics of safeguarding, well-being, healthy lifestyles and how to keep safe through daily circle times, breakfast & brunch, through our curriculum and through the  'Chill and Chat' sessions students have with their PLM. We also ensure we stay in touch with students during the summer break and offer activities for them to engage in with Chessbrook staff. 

Impact

• Students are supported to learn effectively, cope with day-to-day challenges, and have the courage to develop into respectful young adults
• Students demonstrate pride and positive attitudes and commitment
• Students are happy and motivated and persistent and resilient in the face of difficulties
• Students make a highly positive, tangible contribution to the life of Chessbrook and the wider community
• Students actively support the well-being of their peers.